Broncos and their fans dream of orange revenge and redemption

The one where the clock is ticking, ticking and the Super Bowl is almost in sight for the Broncos. And then suddenly the ball's in the air and the Baltimore Ravens wide receiver is sprinting and Broncos safety Rahim Moore is backpedaling and waving his arms and ... and ... he's not going to get there, is he?

It's been a long football offseason in Colorado. Two hundred thirty-six days.

But today's the day to put that nightmare to bed.

"I've been mad the whole offseason," Broncos fan Ricky Barton said Wednesday. "I'm ready for a bit of revenge."

Washing, Waiting. Q Vorrice power washes stadium seats high up on the fifth level of Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver onWednesday. Vorrice and hundreds of other employees were preparing the stadium to make it look its best for the NFL season opener Thursday night. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

When the National Football League's 2013 Kickoff extravaganza rolls into Denver on Thursday, it will find a city looking for redemption from last season's horror-show ending. That the opponent in the Broncos' first game — and the first game in the entire NFL season — is the (Super Bowl champion) Ravens only adds to the intensity that fans say they will bring to Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Remember last season, Baltimore? Nevermore.

"I think it's going to set the tone," said Broncos fan Andre Rudolph, who, like Barton, was shopping Wednesday at the team's stadium store for last-minute gear to wear to the game.

"United in Orange," is the buzz-phrase Denver leaders are using for fans on Thursday. People are encouraged to wear orange to work or school. The Denver City and County building — plus a number of buildings downtown — will be lit up in orange lights.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock plans to lead fans on a bicycle procession from the City and County building to the game at about 3:30 p.m. He will be joined by Miles, the Broncos mascot.

A special message from Hancock will be played on Denver International Airport trains throughout the day, and DIA welcome signs will display "Go Broncos" to arriving travelers.

Even the man setting the 500 different LED light fixtures on the Denver City and County building to orange on Wednesday was feeling the spirit.

"I get to show my Broncos pride in a different way than anyone else. That's pretty awesome," said Nate Webb, whose company, Blaze Illuminations, is based in Loveland and who calls being a Broncos fan "a no-brainer."

The NFL, too, plans to bring its A-game.

Legendary broadcaster Al Michaels will call the game for NBC. Al Roker of "The Today Show" will host live segments from outside the stadium Thursday morning.

This town's even getting Seacrested. "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest will front a pre-game show from Denver, promising that the show would be "an auspicious beginning to another incredible NFL season."

Which is great and all, but what Barton — from his old Brandon Marshall jersey down to his orange sneakers — wants is an end to his off-season nightmare. Barton lives in Las Vegas but has been a longtime Broncos fan, since John Elway's earliest days with the team.

He tries to attend one game a year.

"Usually, I like to come to one of the cold-weather games," he said. "But I couldn't resist this one."

A few feet away from where Barton spoke inside the Broncos stadium store, eight orange jerseys hung on a discount rack, awaiting their own kind of redemption.

Retail price: $240.

Closeout price: $99.97.

Name on the back: Moore.

John Ingold: 303-954-1068, jingold@denverpost.com or twitter.com/john_ingold

Alex Tom of Denver tries on a Broncos cap in the Broncos Store at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on Tuesday. Denver is hosting the NFL season opener on Thursday with the Denver Broncos taking on the Baltimore Ravens at 6:30 p.m. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

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